sndbox - For 91 Days

Firework Festival – First Night Mascleta In Northern Europe – Zena Trophy 2018

The first time I'd heard about the Zena Trophy was last year, when I came across an impressive daylight firework video on Youtube. Immediately curious, I did some research. This is an annual festival held by a Dutch pyrotechnic manufacturer named Zena. After reading that the 2018 edition would include a night mascletà, which would also be the loudest fireworks ever seen in Germany, I started plotting. Am I really so crazy for mascletàs that I would…

The Pink Beach Of Elafonisi And Our Second Road Trip Day

There aren't many beaches around the world with pink sand, but Crete is lucky to be gifted with two of them, both situated on the western coast of the island. Today, we're shining the spotlight on Elafonisi Beach. The other, Balos, we hope to visit soon. On the second day of our road-trip, we woke up at the crack of dawn, eager to get on the road. The earlier you show up at famous Elafonisi, the better.…

A Road-Trip from Chania into the Mountains

Throughout the two months we'll be spending on Crete, our plan is to embark on a road-trip every week. The ultimate goal of our first excursion was the famous pink beach of Elafonissi, but we had plenty of time to make some other stops along the way. We didn't even make it to the beach on the first day, but saw more than enough to warrant a separate post. Minoan Tomb in Maleme Discovered only at the…

Beauty but no Gondolas: Chania’s Venetian Harbor

If you were hoping to see gondolas floating through the canals of Chania's Venetian Harbor, we're sorry to disappoint you. Although I'm sure any disenchantment you're feeling won't last, after you see the amazing promenade which rings the city's small port. Chania doesn't have any canals for gondolas to paddle, anyway, so they'd be pretty useless here. No, the Venetian Harbor wasn't named for its resemblance to the Floating City, but because of its creators. In the…

Three Spots In Chania Off The Beaten Path

One of the greatest things about slow travel is the discovery of spots you'd never run into, were you visiting for just a day or two. After having spent some time familiarizing ourselves with Chania, we discovered a few spots that are off the beaten path. Please keep in mind, a couple of these are technically closed off to visitors, but nobody seems to pay any attention to that. Still, I wouldn't suggest going after dark, and…

Χαίρετε Crete – Πώς είσαι Chania?

After a long journey and the drama of lost luggage, we made it to Chania. Within minutes, we were resting at our little townhouse in the heart of the old town, sitting on fold-up chairs in the street, enjoying the evening breeze and a bottle of Retsina. We had been in Chania for a grand total of 45 minutes, but as the hordes of tourists walked by our place casting jealous glances at our set-up, we already…

Two Months on Crete… and the Reason We Visit Greece Every Year

We're finally on the road again! After a long break of nearly six months, we packed our suitcases and left Valencia, to spend two months on Crete, in Greece. If you follow us on social media, you might have noticed that Greece is an annual destination for us. And there's a reason for that. As all frequent travelers know, flying can be a nightmare. But a few years ago, we learned about a great way to achieve…

Come And Visit Bad König, Odenwald In Germany

After my grandmother passed away, I spent a couple years of my childhood living in her house in Bad König, Odenwald. It wasn't until more than two decades later that I finally returned, and I was shocked by how many memories came flooding back. It was a visit long overdue, but if I'm being honest, I probably wouldn't have gone if not for that delicious Baumkuchen! Bad König is situated right in the heart of the Odenwald,…

Making The Famous Baumkuchen At Café Rudolph – Bad König

Baumkuchen translates into Tree Cake in English, a name it's earned for one obvious reason. If you cut open either a tree trunk or a Baumkuchen, you'll see the same thing: rings. Compared to a tree, though, the Baumkuchen's rings don't equate to a single year ... but more like 3 minutes. Still, you'll be surprised how much time, love and tradition goes into making one of them. First, allow me to tell you how I ended…

Darmstadt – I’m A Heiner

During my teenage years, I lived in Darmstadt, a city which sits in the shadow of the metropolis of Frankfurt. I had a comfortable life there, with my friends and family close by. But once I had obtained my degree, I got an itch and the irresistible compulsion to scratch it. It was a desire to break out of the life that had been laid out in front of me... and the urge was a strong one.…